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Meat thermometer

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A meat thermometer is an excellent tool for any cook. No matter how much you have cooked meat, it can still be difficult to tell whether or not the meat is done! Here are some reasons why you will appreciate using a meat thermometer:

• If you do not have a meat thermometer, then one of the most common ways to see if a steak or other meat is done is to cut it open. Of course, doing so can release important juices, and it also ruins the presentation of your meat.

• It is very unsafe to serve undercooked meat! Undercooked chicken, for instance, is a hazard because of the potential for salmonella. Avoid such health risks by using a meat thermometer.

• Of course, overcooking your meat is a problem, as well – sure, the meat might be safer, but it could also be an assault on your taste buds. Overcooked meat can be too dry and tough. By using a meat thermometer, though, you can ensure that you cook your meat just right, all the time.

Of course, a meat thermometer is most useful if you have meat temperature chart to pair with it. To tell how well meat is cooked is not a matter of seeing what it looks like, but of checking the temperature. Here are some general temperature guidelines for safely cooked meat:

• Non-ground beef, lamb, and veal (roasts and steaks)

o Rare – 120-125 degrees Fahrenheit
o Medium-rare – 130-135 degrees
o Medium – 140-145 degrees
o Well-done – 160 and above degrees

• Ground beef (meatloaf, meatballs, hamburgers) – 160 degrees

• Whole chickens and turkeys – 180 degrees

• White poultry meat – 170 degrees

• Dark poultry meat – 180 degrees

• Pork

o Medium – 160 degrees

o Well-done – 170 degrees

For more specific temperatures for specific cuts of meat (and meat with or without bones, etc.) be sure to check a cookbook or other source. Remember, safety is key when cooking meats!

When you have a meat thermometer, there will never again be a question as to whether or not your meat is cooked properly – if someone asks for a medium rare steak, you’ll be able to give that person a medium-rare steak. How? You will be able to do so easily, just by using a meat thermometer.